Safer Chemicals Alternative

Hazardous chemical substances in products –

campaign „Fight to know!“ in Serbia

About us

ALHem seeks for society to accept key principles : •precaution, •substitution of the most dangerous chemicals with safer alternatives, •polluter pays, and •consumers have the right to know.

ALHem – Safer Chemicals Alternative is NGO which gathers professionals with expertise in field of chemicals management, founded in 2013.

ALHem is a unique civil society organization acting in this field in Serbia, and to our knowledge in the region.

ALHem acts by using scientifically proven knowledge on chemicals hazards and the best practices as regards safe chemicals management.

Networks

October 2015

NGO “Arnika” (Czeck republic) and ALHem signed a Memorandum of Cooperation

Industry

Goverment/ decision makers

We strive to act as a catalyst for open dialogue between industry, government authorities and civil society organizations as regards hazardous chemicals, with the aim to reduce their risk at all levels.

Civil society- Consumers/ proffesionals

MISSION

Project „Serbia Substitutes“ 2013/2014

What ALHem do?

Key target: INDUSTRY

Substitution of hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives was promoted. •SIN List has been translated to Serbian language, http://srbija.chemsec.org/ •content of the SUBSPORT (Substitution Support Portal) website was translated into Serbian and made available at http://rs.subsport.eu/ •TRAINING on hazardous chemicals: identification and assessment for safer alternatives was organized

http://www.subsport.eu/about-the-portal/serbia-substitutes

http://srbija.chemsec.org/

http://rs.subsport.eu/

Project „Serbia's response to the global agreement on Mercury“ 2014/2015

What ALHem do?

Key target: Decision makers

The need of ratification of the convention on Mercury was promoted. Documents developed :

•ALHem brochure: International Convention on Mercury:

reasons for international mercury legislation and content of

Minamata Convention

•IMEAP Report: Serbian Response to Global Mercury Treaty

Financed by IPEN network

http://www.ipen.org/project-reports/serbian-response-global-mercury-treaty

Ongoing projects:

What ALHem do?

Key target: Civil society - Consumers & professionals

Capacity Building and Strategic Partnerships for Chemical

Safety in the Republic of Serbia

Financed by SAICM QSP; partners UNDP Serbia, Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection and

NGO Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF) .

Strengthening the capacity of civil society- funds for the institutional functioning of civil society organizations

Financed by: Royal Norwegian Embassy

OBJECTIVE: Strengthening capacity of civil society organizations, especially consumer associations, by raising awareness about the risks posed by hazardous chemicals, as well as general-use products containing SVHC, and building up partnerships between CSOs, governmental agencies, media and health sector as regards chemicals safety

Strengthening the capacity of the Consumer Associations, through the joint implementation of the campaign “Fight to know" and three local public events

Chemical safety

management

Development of web platform with information for consumers on the risks posed by hazardous chemicals, as well as products containing hazardous chemicals

Workshop/training for journalists about hazardous chemicals in products

Organizing international satellite symposium on endocrine disruptors for endocrinologists, gynecologists, pediatricians

Presentation of campaign results to other civil society organizations

How to achieve the objective?

Consumer campaign “FIGHT TO KNOW!”.

-methodology, guidance and materials-

1) Testing the effectiveness of the legal provisions prescribing obligation to provide information on the presence of substances of very high concern (SVHC) in products, and

2) Raising awareness on SVHC as an essential factor for product chemical safety, as well as on obligation to communicate on SVHC in products along the supply chain and the need to introduce safer alternatives.

Campaign goals

Model > “The Fight to Know” campaign conducted in EU in 2010 by EEB and its partners (including WECF).

Overall concept

The campaign shall be composed of two parts:

1.The first part relates to sending of request for information on content of SVHCs in selected products by three Consumers associations in Serbia, and successively collecting and analyzing the answers received from retailers in order to assess practical effectiveness of legal provisions.

2.The second part relates to performing a chemical analysis on content of phthalates in 90 samples ( 30 samples per region) of articles purchased in order to assess the adequacy of responses received.

Model > “The Fight to Know” campaign conducted in EU in 2010 by EEB and its partners (including WECF).

Belgrade (1st CA)

Vojvodina (2nd CA)

Central Serbia (3rd CA)

Main actors The implementation of project activities will be done by UNDP as implementing agency in strong cooperation and expertise support of ALHem, as well as “know-how” support of WECF.

Partners •Three Consumer Associations (CA) are engaged to conduct certain activities within campaign (primarily dissemination of “right to know” letters and purchasing of samples) - each one in its respectful region.

•Testing Laboratory – is engaged to analyze phthalate content

in samples

+ Relevant ministries responsible for chemicals

management, health and consumer protection (as

participants in Coordination Committee)

Methodology

Main activities/steps Timeline

1. Development of TOR, methodology and guidance materials Up to 15th October

2. Selection and contracting of 3 Consumers Associations (CA) as

regional partners in Serbia (UNDP, ALHem) Up to 15th October

3. Inception workshop – initial training for CA and providing of

templates and guidance materials (ALHem, WECF, CA)

20th October

4. Final list of articles and retailers/suppliers subject to

information request (ALHem in cooperation with CA)

20-28th October

5. Selection and contracting of testing Laboratory (UNDP,ALHem) Up to 30th November

6. Samples purchase and delivery to the testing laboratory (CA) 1st -10th December

Inception workshop - 20th October

Templates and guidance materials

……Methodology

Main activities/steps Timeline

7. Dissemination of Letters with information request (CA) 10th -20th Dec.

8. Proposing of adequate place, date and audience for SVHC awareness raising local public events

Up to 20th Dec.

9. Testing and reporting on results (lab.) 10th Dec. -10th

Feb.

10. Collecting responses to information request and reporting (CA) Up to 10th Feb.

11. Analysis of campaign results (ALHem in cooperation with CA and lab.) Up to 30th February

12. Preparation of awareness raising materials Up to 30th March

13. Final seminar and presentation of campaign results and awareness

raising materials to wide audience (ALHem, WECF, CA)

App. 20th April

14. Dissemination of Information on SVHCs and campaign results via

websites, social networks, media etc. (ALHem, CA)

Up to end of April

15. SVHC awareness raising local public events (ALHem with logistic support of CA) To be agreed

List of products (made of PVC) that are to be tested for presence of phthalates No Product category Description of products

1. School equipment Erasers, curlers, pencil case

2. Toys Toy-horses, ball, bath toys

3. Baby-accessories Pad for baby changing , aspirators, bibs

4. Beachwear Inflatable equipment for swimming

5. Accessories for mobile phones Mobile phone back cover /screen protective Film

6. Clothing and footwear Beach slippers, raincoats

7. Household Accessories Oilcoat, table pads, bathroom floor mat

8. Plastic dishes Plastic cups and bowls

9. Cables Extension cables, connectors, electrical cables

10. PVC floor coverings Vinil floor coverings

11. Medical products Urinary catheters, infusion sets, PVC gloves

Phthalates subject to laboratory testing in samples

* REACH Authorisation list

Subject of the campaign - PVC products that may

contain phthalates and their distributors

KEY PRINCIPLES:

1 product= 1 distributor = 1 letter

LIST of Products & Distributors

1 region = 30 products= 30 distributors

Serbia =3 regions = 90 products= 90 distributors

Dissemination of Letters with information request will be done by:

1. Registered mail, and

2. e-mail

Communication with distributors

45 days REPORT

SUMMARY of activities within the campaign “Fight to know" - Preparation of methodology and TOR for campaign partners (3CA & lab.)

engagement

- Preparation of toolkit for implementation of the campaign (September/October 2015)

- 1 consultative workshop for 3 regional Consumers Associations in order to prepare them for implementation of the campaign - October 20, 2015.

- Conducting of the campaign, analysis and preparation of reports and informative materials on results of the campaign (November 2015- April 2016)

- 1 seminar for presenting the campaign results to wider audience (NGOs, media etc.) and raising awarnes on SVCH (April 2016)

- Organisation of 3 local public events in different regions of Serbia related to chemical safety, especially SVHCs (during 2016)

Address: Belgrade, Hektorovićeva 1a

Phone: + 381 11 4081 096

Email: office@alhem.rs

Katarina Krinulovic, MSc Biochem. Consultant for chemicals safety

katarina.krin@gmail.com

www.alhem.rs

Thank you for attention!!!

www.alhem.rs